This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the four modern translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1.First paragraph

2.Second paragraph

3.Third paragraph

4.Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A.Notice the recurrent pattern of "if. . .then." This is one type of ancient Near Eastern law (i.e., case law or casuistic law), which is distinct from apodictic law (e.g., the Ten Words/Ten Commandments).

B.Deuteronomy's law code has several unique features:

1.recurrent emphases on covenant love

a.YHWH to Israel

b.Israelite to Israelite

c.Israelite to foreigner

d.Israelite to animals

2.special care for the poor, disenfranchised, and powerless

C.YHWH instructs His people in clear ways (paths). He wants them to understand and act appropriately. Their actions are to reflect His character as a means of reaching those who do not yet know Him (personal and national faith relationship). The Law is God's gift to fallen humanity, not a capricious exercise of control! They show in many practical and specific ways how an "unholy people" can stay in fellowship with holy God!

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 21:1-91If a slain person is found lying in the open country in the land which the Lord your God gives you to possess, and it is not known who has struck him, 2then your elders and your judges shall go out and measure the distance to the cities which are around the slain one. 3It shall be that the city which is nearest to the slain man, that is, the elders of that city, shall take a heifer of the herd, which has not been worked and which has not pulled in a yoke; 4and the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which has not been plowed or sown, and shall break the heifer's neck there in the valley. 5Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near, for the Lord your God has chosen them to serve Him and to bless in the name of the Lord; and every dispute and every assault shall be settled by them. 6All the elders of that city which is nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley; 7and they shall answer and say, 'Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it. 8Forgive Your people Israel whom You have redeemed, O Lord, and do not place the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of Your people Israel.' And the bloodguiltiness shall be forgiven them. 9So you shall remove the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the eyes of the Lord."

21:1-9 This is a context about how to cleanse the land when a murdered person is found in an open field, away from any city. Murder pollutes YHWH's land (e.g., 7:13; 11:9,21; 28:11; 30:20) and must be dealt with in an appropriate manner (i.e., sacrifice).

21:2 "elders and judges" There are local appointed leaders who sat in the gates of the city and tried the cases of the community. Only if they had a problem did they take the cases to a higher authority (i.e., Levitical priests, cf. v. 5). They measured the distance from the found body to the cities around. The nearest town had to perform certain rituals (cf. vv. 3-8). This demonstrates their sense of guilt by proximity. The closest city was responsible for the blood-guiltiness, which could affect YHWH's blessings on the whole region (cf. 19:13).

21:3 "heifer. . .which has not been worked and which has not pulled in a yoke" This means a heifer which has not been used for agricultural work.

21:4 "a valley with running water which has not been plowed or sown" The valley, too, had to be unpolluted by human activity or in a natural state. The water symbolized carrying the guilt away (similar to the goat of Leviticus 16).

▣ "shall break the heifer's neck" Later rabbis said "chopped head off with an ax" because breaking the neck was a difficult task (cf. Exod. 13:13; 34:20). However, blood does not seem to be involved in the ritual, but the concept of substitution. The innocent heifer ceremonially takes the place of the unknown murderer. The purpose was to rid the land of innocent bloodguiltiness (cf. Num. 35:33-34).

21:5 "the priests" They may refer later to local Levites.

▣ "to bless in the name of the Lord" Blessing was one of the functions of priests/Levites (cf. 10:8; I Chr. 23:13). One example of a priestly blessing is recorded in Num. 6:22-26. This blessing is related to Israel's covenant keeping (cf. Num. 6:27; Deut. 28:3-6). YHWH's personal presence (i.e., name) was honored or rejected by each Israelite's obedience or willful disobedience to YHWH's revelation (i.e., covenant). Israel's blessing, both individual (cf. Exod. 19:5-6) and corporate, was determined not by arbitrary or capricious choice, but by personal faith in YHWH, demonstrated by covenant obedience (lifestyle). YHWH wanted to bless (cf. Exod. 20:24; II Chr. 30:27).

▣ "every dispute and every assault shall be settled by them" The verb is the common one, "to be" (BDB 224, KB 243, Qalimperfect). The translation "be settled" comes from the previous noun phrase, "by their word" (BDB 804).

2."assault" - BDB 619, cf. 17:8. Here it refers to physical attack, but the term can mean disease, cf. 24:8 (many times in Leviticus).

21:6 "wash their hands over the heifer" This symbolizes cleansing (cf. Ps. 26:6; 73:13) from guilt by the proximity of the dead body. The elders represent the whole community as they corporately wash the guilt away from the village and area.

21:7 "Our hands did not shed this blood nor did our eyes see it" The rabbis relate this to help for the stranger, poor, orphan, or widow. Since the villagers did not see the stranger's need for help they were absolved from meeting that need. This may have been a way to stop the victim's family (i.e., blood avenger) from killing an innocent member of the nearest village in retaliation.

This is the Hebrew verb "cover" ( BDB 497, KB 493, Pielimperative). It is used twice in this verse (the second use is a Nithpaelperfect). This term, so common in Leviticus and Numbers, is used only three times in Deuteronomy (21:8[twice]; 32:43). Its basic meaning is "to ritually cover by means of a sacrifice."

▣ "redeemed" This verb (BDB 804, KB 911, Qalimperfect, but jussive in meaning) is parallel to "forgive" (i.e., cover). See Special Topic: Ransom/Redeem at 7:8.

NASB"do not place the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of Your people"NKJV"do not lay innocent blood to the charge of Your people"NRSV"do not let the guilt of innocent blood remain in the midst of your people"TEV"do not hold us responsible for the murder of an innocent person"NJB"let no innocent blood be shed among your people"

The verb (BDB 678, KB 733, Qalimperfect, but in a jussive sense) is a prayer for ritual absolution from the consequences of an unsolved murder. Notice how NJB translates the phrase as a jussive.

21:9 The ritual (cf. vv. 1-8) was seen as "purging" (BDB 128, KB 145, Pielimperfect) the effects of corporate sin (i.e., unsolved murders) from the whole community (similar to the rituals of "the Day of Atonement" in Leviticus 16). Sin, even unintentional corporate sin, affects the blessing of YHWH and even brings collective wrath (i.e., curses, cf. Deuteronomy 27-29).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 21:10-14
10"When you go out to battle against your enemies, and the Lord your God delivers them into your hands and you take them away captive, 11and see among the captives a beautiful woman, and have a desire for her and would take her as a wife for yourself, 12then you shall bring her home to your house, and she shall shave her head and trim her nails. 13She shall also remove the clothes of her captivity and shall remain in your house, and mourn her father and mother a full month; and after that you may go in to her and be her husband and she shall be your wife. 14It shall be, if you are not pleased with her, then you shall let her go wherever she wishes; but you shall certainly not sell her for money, you shall not mistreat her, because you have humbled her."

21:10-14 These verses address how to appropriately deal with women (i.e., not Canaanites, but others, cf. 20:10-15) captured in war, even they had rights in YHWH's land. This care for the poor and powerless is unique in the ancient world's law codes.

21:11 "woman" This was not a Canaanite woman, a foreigner, perhaps, but not Canaanite.

3."take" - BDB 542, KB 534, Qal perfect. Here it does not imply a sexual union, but a taking into one's house (cf. v. 12).

This same sequence is found in Gen. 3:6!

21:12 "she shall shave her head and trim her nails" This was a (1) concluding (cf. Num. 6:9,18-19); (2) cleansing (cf. Lev. 13:33; 14:8-9); or (3) mourning (cf. 14:1; Lev. 21:5; Jer. 41:5; Ezek. 44:20) ritual. Here it symbolized a new day, a new life, a new family. It is interesting that her conversion to YHWH is assumed, but not stated. The husband's faith was the family's faith!

21:13 "and mourn her father and mother" Although the text does not specifically state that this woman must be unmarried, it is implied. There is no mention of mourning over the loss of a husband nor the mention of children.

▣ "after that you may go in to her" This is a Hebrew idiom for sexual intercourse (i.e., which consummated the marriage). Notice that a desire for sexual relations, even with a non-Israelite, is not condemned, but there is an appropriate time. This month of mourning gives the Hebrew man time to get to know his potential wife. If things do not go well, there is a way out without divorce.

Also note the apparent absence of an actual marriage ceremony (cf. Gen. 24:67).

21:14 "let her go" This is the technical word for divorce (BDB 1018, KB 1511, Pielperfect). She could not be sold (Qalinfinitive absolute and Qalimperfect of BDB 569, KB 5181, which was a grammatical way to express emphasis) like a slave, but she could be divorced. See note at 24:1-4.

NASB "you shall not mistreat her"NKJV "you shall not treat her brutally"NRSV, TEV "you must not treat her as a slave"NJB----------

The verb (BDB 771 II, KB 849, Hithpaelimperfect) means "deal tyrannically with" or "forced to submit to the will of a more powerful person" (cf. 24:7). YHWH cares for the fair treatment of even captured women!

NASB, NKJV"because you have humbled her"NRSV"since you have dishonored her"TEV"since you forced her to have intercourse with you"NJB"since you have exploited her"REB"since you have had your will with her"

This verb (BDB 776, KB 853, Piel perfect), in this context, is best translated as the TEV (e.g., Gen. 34:2; Deut. 22:24,29; Jdgs. 19:24; 20:5; II Sam. 13:12,14,22,32). These women would have suffered:

1.capture in war

2.loss of family

3.forced integration into marriage, which also assumes a religious conversion

4.now forced removal from the home (with implied sin, cf. Deut. 24:1-4) with no place to go

Notice that this paragraph, and the next also, limits the cultural power of male Israelites!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 21:15-1715"If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him sons, if the firstborn son belongs to the unloved, 16then it shall be in the day he wills what he has to his sons, he cannot make the son of the loved the firstborn before the son of the unloved, who is the firstborn. 17But he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength; to him belongs the right of the firstborn."

21:15 This paragraph recognizes the cultural practice of polygamy. The first example in the OT is Lamech (Gen. 4:23). The most famous early polygamist was Jacob in Genesis 29. Polygamy was practiced among wealthy or powerful people, not usually the common people (although vv. 10-14 could refer to bigamy).

▣ "firstborn son" The firstborn's rights were established even if he were the son of the unloved (cf. v. 17; Exod. 13:14-15; Lev. 3:12-13).

21:17 "double portion" The Hebrew idiom (BDB 804, "mouth" and BDB 1040, "double") is also used of Elisha's desire related to Elijah in II Kgs. 2:9. This is the only place in the OT that this double portion is specifically mentioned. If there were two sons, the older would receive two-thirds and the younger one-third; if three sons, then 50%, 25%, 25%, etc. The oldest son was to care for the aged parents.

It is interesting that the historicity of these laws is demonstrated by the archaeological finds of other ancient law codes:

1.Jacob in Genesis 49 gives all his twelve sons equal inheritance. This is reflected in the Code of Hammurabi

2.Here the mention of a double share for the firstborn is paralleled in the Nuzi and Mari tablets.

3.The differences recorded in Scripture reflect the differences in their contemporary culture (see The Old Testament Documents by Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., p. 86).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 21:18-2118"If any man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or his mother, and when they chastise him, he will not even listen to them, 19then his father and mother shall seize him, and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gateway of his home town. 20They shall say to the elders of his city, 'This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey us, he is a glutton and a drunkard.' 21Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death; so you shall remove the evil from your midst, and all Israel will hear of it and fear."

21:18-21 This section deals with rebellious sons and how parents were to treat them (cf. Exod. 21:15,17; Lev. 20:9). Parents did not have the right of life or death over a child, but the courts did. This concerned (1) the violation of 5:16; (2) the inheritance within a family; and (3) community solidarity.

21:18 This type of antisocial youth was characterized as:

1."stubborn" - BDB 710, KB 770, Qal active participle

2."rebellious" - BDB 598, KB 632, Qal active participle

3.both of these things are used together in Ps. 78:8 and Jer. 5:23

The five participles in this verse show continuous action. The rest of the verse describes their actions:

▣ "at the gateway" The local place of justice was the city gate, where the elders sat (e.g., 19:12; 22:15; 25:7).

21:21 "all the men of his city shall stone him to death" Notice the humanitarian aspect that the parents did not have to stone their own son. The community (cf. Lev. 20:2,27; 24:14-23; Num. 15:35) acted to rid itself of evil, willfully recalcitrant members.

▣"and all Israel will hear of it and fear" Societal punishment functions as a deterrent. See note at 13:11.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 21:22-2322"If a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is accursed of God), so that you do not defile your land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance."

21:23 "you shall surely bury" This intensified construction combines the infinitive absolute and Qal imperfect of "bury" (BDB 868, KB 1064). YHWH's wrath demanded the offender's death as the penalty for his stubborn rebellion. However, YHWH's displeasure would transfer to the community if the body of the executed covenant violator was not dealt with properly and in a timely fashion.

▣ "(for he who is hanged is accursed of God)" See Gal. 3:13 for Paul's use of this phrase. Paul saw the substitutionary death of Jesus as taking on Himself the curse of the Mosaic law. Originally this curse was related to proper burial procedures in the holy land.

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

Bob was born in 1947 in Houston, Texas. He is married to the former Peggy Rutta and they have three children and six grandchildren. He has earned degrees from East Texas Baptist College, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and has done post-graduat... More